The presence of various microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi can put the population at risk for developing numerous illnesses and diseases. For instance, these microorganisms can be present on surfaces in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, kitchens, bathrooms, gyms, etc. as well as in liquids such as drinking water. One approach for killing and/or removing these microorganisms is by using solutions containing detergents, biocides, antibiotics, or other chemicals. These solutions may also be impregnated into fibrous webs, such as wipes and nonwovens, for delivery to a contaminated surface or for filtration. However, although these substances can be successful in killing or removing the microorganisms, exposure to these chemicals can be harmful. Further, increased use can lead to the microorganisms having increased resistance to such chemicals. Additionally, over time, the use of such chemicals can corrode or damage the surfaces to which they are applied.
As concerns grow about allergic or toxicological reactions to chemicals and about the increasing resistance of bacteria to common chemicals and treatments, it has become more desirous to avoid harsh chemicals while still providing a fibrous web for removing microorganisms. Thus, to alleviate the aforementioned problems, another approach has been to attempt to remove the microorganisms without the use of chemicals, such as by utilizing the electrostatic interactions of the negatively charged bacteria. However, webs for capturing and trapping negatively charged bacteria are generally limited to the application of metal cation solutions such as aluminum cations to the surface of a web. First of all, these methods only utilize the cationic functionalities to interact with the negatively charged bacteria. Secondly, the metal cations are capable of leaching from the web and contaminating the surface and/or liquid that is in contact with the web.
In light of the above, a need exists for a technique for capturing and retaining microorganisms, such as bacteria, without the use of harsh chemicals.